Cadaver Memorial Service

[Rugby MD]

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Hey guys,
does any other school actually meet the families of their cadavers. We are having a funeral today and I get to meet Jerry's family. Its kinda cool, I know I am gonna cry, but what do you say to the family of the man you just spent a year cutting apart? "Its very nice to meet you, your dad had a very nice aorta. Did he have kidney beans as his last meal over a year and a half ago, neat. they were still in there."

 

[Mr. Freeze]

We meet the families before we meet the body, and then have a service after, in Jan.

 

[SemperJeff]

We have a memorial service at the end of our school year where the families are invited to attend and we can talk to them.

Although, I'm not sure if we find out who the families are there for...

 

[xanthines]

Given your frowny face, I think you know the answer to that! 😛

I'd just tell the family that their loved one's service was noble and valuable. I think they'd like to know that their dad/mom/etc was treated with respect and that it was worth it. They want to know their family member made the right decision. They don't need the details about how nice his parotid duct was, or how easy it was to dissect him, or basically anything along those lines. Of course, if you get questions along those lines I'd say go ahead and answer them as tactfully as you can.

Just my opinion, though.

-X

Hey guys,
does any other school actually meet the families of their cadavers. We are having a funeral today and I get to meet Jerry's family. Its kinda cool, I know I am gonna cry, but what do you say to the family of the man you just spent a year cutting apart? "Its very nice to meet you, your dad had a very nice aorta. Did he have kidney beans as his last meal over a year and a half ago, neat. they were still in there."

 

[CTG]

Hey guys,
does any other school actually meet the families of their cadavers. We are having a funeral today and I get to meet Jerry's family. Its kinda cool, I know I am gonna cry, but what do you say to the family of the man you just spent a year cutting apart? "Its very nice to meet you, your dad had a very nice aorta. Did he have kidney beans as his last meal over a year and a half ago, neat. they were still in there."

That is SO awkward!!! We start school in a few days...I don't know if my school does that or not. Just be gracious, and act the way you would at a funeral or memorial service. The families are still mourning so that's probably how they'll be looking at it. Good luck. 🙂

 

[NY Musicologist]

Hey guys,
what do you say to the family of the man you just spent a year cutting apart?

"Thank you...[your loved one] gave me an invaluable learning experience."

 

[Mr. Freeze]

That is SO awkward!!! We start school in a few days...I don't know if my school does that or not. Just be gracious, and act the way you would at a funeral or memorial service. The families are still mourning so that's probably how they'll be looking at it. Good luck. 🙂

We have a luncheon, and most of the families come. A lot bring pictures or newspaper clippings. We thought it would be awkward too. But our family was late, and we all started getting disappointed because we were going to be lacking the "rest of the story." But they showed up, and all was well. There were some tense moments, as with any death. She had died almost a year ago, but there was still some of the I can't believe she's gone sentiment. And when she died, the hospital chaplain did and said some unbelievable stuff. So there was some pent-up angst about some of that too.

But we got a lot of her life story. I couldn't imagine not knowing anything.

We figured out real quick that the family, who didn't necessarily support her decision entirely, had as much trepidation and apprehension as we did about meeting each other.

 

[Rugby MD]

So j-dog's family didn't show up! I thought I would be relieved, but I was actually really upset. I think I was looking forward to meeting them. (I would have probably been very thankful)-- but I guess I kinda wanted to know what he was really like. oh well. we had a couple of speeches by students and I got all teary eyed. I miss ol' jer.

 

[NY Musicologist]

So j-dog's family didn't show up! I thought I would be relieved, but I was actually really upset. I think I was looking forward to meeting them. (I would have probably been very thankful)-- but I guess I kinda wanted to know what he was really like. oh well. we had a couple of speeches by students and I got all teary eyed. I miss ol' jer.

I'm sorry it didn't work out for you to meet them. Maybe it would be possible for you to get the main survivor's contact information from the anatomy department (or whoever keeps those records) and send a short note in the mail to say thanks and that you're sorry it wasn't possible for you to meet. If they felt too awkward to attend the service, they might still really appreciate such a gesture...and even if not, it might give you that last bit of closure that you seem to want.